The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1887-03-19

going tnf0Hgn the klIcD6n bkynRnt
and out through the flames aud ts-
capped. He left Ave persons on the
kitchen roof and thinks they must all
have persisted, "a they did not at
tempt to follow him through the
flames.
Mr., Stafford, proprietor Of the hotel,
tells the following story:
soar room was on the south end,
and we dropped down to the roof OF
the frame building. My wife wanted
to 20 through the ball, but locked
the door and put the key into my
pocket. Then l jumped and Phe
sprsng into my srms. We wers
awakened by the electric bells, and II
they bad not been turned OF promptly
there would have been terrible loss
OF life. The bells awakened everybody
In the house. When i got out OF my
room II WAS useless to try to escape
through the hallway. I think the loes
of life Is less than some estimates l
have heard. There are probably not
more than six persons dead"
At the undertaking rooms Of Brady
4 Dmllard are tho bodies OF Wilson
Purcell and an unknown woman.
Purcell was for a number OF years
reporter with r @. Dun & Co, but
lately was engaged Ia the investment
brokerage business.
THE .DY OF WOMAN HoRRlB- Y
BURNED
end clothed only in q Wrapper, was
taken from Wahle's basement. Brains
were ooElDg from fracture in the
skull. To the list of the dead must be
undoubtedly added the name Mark
Osborne, day clerk.
The burned building was erected in
1855 for hotel purposes, and was called
the st. james Hotel. The hotel was
not q financial success, and after a
struggling existence, ii patssd la 1854
into the hands Of the Young Mems
Christian Association. After the As
ISOLATION gave up its rooms in the old
building In October last. the firm OF
Stafford & o., composed Of Robert
Stafford, ii. z. Whitaker and J. w.
Mann, took lease OF the property for
hotel purposes for term Of years.
Mr.. Whitaker reports that large
amount OF diamonds were In the no.
tel Ia { night. B. L. Robinson, OF
Lambert & 90 had a stock valued at
$4,000 deposited In the safe.
Mr.. Adler had in his room $4,000
worth, and Mr.. Smith had another
cors derabls stock, but the amount
was not known.
The hotel building and st. James
Hall were insured for $4,000, which
covers the loss to the Library AssoCia-
ton.
Stafford & Co.'s loss is SIS, COO, and
their insur rance $34,
Fuller & Townsend, proprietors of
the Boston Clothing Store, estimate
their loss at $50. covered by incur
aBce.
Peter Paul & Bros lose $4,000; in
Bured.
The less Of Ulbrech 4 Kingsley is
$35 600, and is covered by insurance.
The minor Losses are estimated at
$4,000.
Chief HornuDg, Of the Fire Depart.
ment, says
THU NUMBER on PEOPLE RBscUED
by the firemen is about twenty to
twenty We did all we could to
rescue them. We got two streams
into the corridor OF che hotel, and at
that moment the flames were shooting
up that big staircase and elevator way
beyond the reach OF the hose. We
tried to play both streams upward on
the FIRE, but there was 40 much
screaming OF guests and calls for help
from the windows that we called of
most OF the men from the hose and let
the building go for ths while, giving
all our attention 10 the ladders,
"Damn the building" / yelled, Save
the people," and the boys helped
man the ladders on the outside, put.
ting up two on Main Street side and
the short ones on Eagle street, There
WAS need for them, too. II was a
horrible sight to zee the people jump.
ing from every side. The cool headed
ones were rescued all right, but some
would not wait. Henry b. Rumsey
was on the top story. He ran down
ono fight OF stairs and started for
rear window. Seeing a little girl in
the hallway he returned, got her, and
jumped with her In his arms onto Bum
nellfs Museum. The skin aud the
beard on his face were burned of and
he was severely burned about the
body. He will probably die.
George Michaels, commercial tray
eler, had thrilling eecSpee He tried
to Get out by climbing hand over hand
along an electric light cable to the roof
of the museum. Three Others got on
the wire and it broke down, Mr..
Michsels fell about thiIty.fve feet,
but broke no bones,
10. Gilbert, Of New York, Ia at the
Tiff. House terribly burned. His head
and right arm are bound up and
mask covers his face.
w. s. Dswey, of Rochester, is badly
scorched about the face. He rushed
for the stairway, but was driven back
by the Il ,mes TO the ladders.
F. W. Woods, Of Chicsgo,
MADE A RorR OF SHEETS AND SLID DOWN
IN SAFETY,
escaping with few blisters.
A number OF others who are injured
are at various places and their names
have not yet been learned. Among
the brave deeds Of the iremen was one
deserving OF special mention. District
Engineer Edward Murphy was ON a
ladder rescuing some OF the occupants
of the hotel. At an upper story win
dow was one OF the female domestiCs,
He shouted to her to remain where
she was and he would come up and
saya har Tho n0or araakura frantic
with terror, instead of obeying, lesped
from the window and literally threw
herself at Murphy. This caused him
TO lose his balance on the ladder, but
he hung ON with one hand and caught
the girl around tie neck, holding her
thus firmly until he could regain his
equilibrium, when he slid down the
ladder, bearing htr safely to the
groupd. No further bodies had been
found at last accounts and no other
persons were reported missing. 1t is
now hoped that the loss Of life is not